1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of and device for dispensing moisture-sensitive unit dose packages. More particularly, the invention is concerned with a method of and a device for storing and dispensing multiple unit dose packages from a central location in a humid or moist environment over a period of one to four weeks.
2. Description of Related Technology
Unit dose packages are packages containing a single premeasured amount of a product which is used in some subsequent process, such as cleaning. In that case, a package of detergent, formed into a tablet, a packet of powder or granules, or perhaps a gelatin material is added to a given amount of water to create a cleaning solution having the appropriate concentration of active cleaning ingredient.
Unit dose packages must be protected from their environment and kept dry in order to be functional. The product must be kept chemically functional and physically usable during its shelf life. If unit dose, moisture-sensitive products absorb an unacceptable amount of moisture, which is typically a very small amount of moisture, the product may not meet functional claims and may not be removable from the package. A unit dose package dispensing device which permits moisture to be introduced into the package may spoil or render useless a large percentage of the package's contents, thus discouraging a customer from buying a similar product in the future. Thus, the marketability of moisture-sensitive unit dose products is protected and enhanced by a storage and dispensing device that preserves a dry environment for the product even when the package is stored in moist surroundings, such as in a kitchen or bathroom.
Moisture can also be introduced into a package by the wet hands of a user attempting to withdraw one of the unit dose containers. Also, since the user's hands may be wet, it is impractical for them to unscrew or manipulate a complicated packaging device in order to obtain the unit dose package, since their hands are slippery and cannot grip a complicated container easily.
Ideally, the container should be made of an inexpensive material, such as cardboard, and should provide some protection for the contents when not in use. The dispenser should not present a serious impediment to obtaining the product when desired so as to waste time or require undue manual dexterity.
Cardboard cartons bearing some similarity to the present invention are known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,000,624, issued to Pexton, discloses a cardboard carton having a trough that extends outwardly from a bottom portion of the carton. The Pexton device, however, does not disclose any method of protecting the contents of the trough from moisture once the trough is extended into a dispensing position.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,645,771, issued to Pillsbury, discloses a combined container and dispenser having an outwardly extending trough near a bottom portion of the container. However, the Pillsbury device does not disclose a method of protecting the contents to be dispensed from moisture when the dispensing trough is extended into its dispensing position.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,556,707, issued to Rendall et al., discloses a convertible shipping carton and self-feeder which contains a plurality of troughs near a bottom region of the container. However, the Rendall et al. disclosure does not teach or suggest a method of protecting the contents of the trough from moisture when the troughs are extended into a dispensing position.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,847,153, issued to Guyer et al., discloses a dispenser box having a lower trough extending across the width of the container. However, Guyer et al. does not disclose a means of protecting the contents of the trough from moisture.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,138,052, issued to Torigian, discloses a multi-layer tray dispensing package, which includes a series of trays stacked vertically, and which may be removed from the dispenser package by removing a portion of the end panel itself, thereby forming a sort of lid. However, the Torigian disclosure assumes that the product to be dispensed is already in a waterproof container, and so the lid formed by the end panel is in a horizontal or higher position whenever a tray is removed far enough to allow the product to be accessible. The horizontal position of the end panel lid does not encourage the efficient runoff of moisture should it impinge the surface of the box, and similarly, the Torigian device requires both the lifting of the lid and the removal of the tray in order to gain access to the product being dispensed.
Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 4,186,866, issued to Zicko, discloses a dispenser container with a cover. Zicko discloses a trough having a hinged lid, but the trough is located at the extreme bottom of the container, thereby providing no protection against a moist surface upon which the container may rest, should water seep through the cardboard bottom. Similarly, Zicko does not anticipate protection from a moist environment insofar as apertures are included in the sides of the box for viewing its contents. Zicko also does not anticipate the need for insertion and withdrawing of the trough itself, since no means is provided for easily gripping the trough lip to withdraw it from the container housing.